First plank of Alberta climate-change plan passes

By
Dean Bennett The Canadian Press

WATCH ABOVE: MLAs have wrapped up their work at the legislature for the summer, but not before the Alberta NDP passed one major piece of legislation. As Quinn Ohler reports, the parties debated until nearly dawn to pass the first part of Alberta's landmark climate change plan.

All opposition members — the Wildrose party, the Progressive Conservatives, David Swann of the Liberals and Greg Clark of the Alberta Party — voted against it.

It was, at times, a bitter fight in the house.

Politicians stayed up until almost dawn Tuesday debating amendments. Opposition members said they agreed with the concept of taking action on climate change, but said tighter controls were needed on raising, reporting and spending the money.

The levy is expected to bring in $3 billion in 2017-18. The government has promised the proceeds will be used entirely for initiatives to help Alberta become more environmentally friendly — from small home-based changes to multibillion-dollar public transportation projects.

Notley’s NDP government used its majority to reject all proposed changes except for one. It accepted a Progressive Conservative amendment to issue receipts if items are confiscated during searches to ensure compliance with the act.

Notley said the bill did not need amendments, because it was well crafted beforehand, particularly regarding accountability rules.

“The legislation itself includes a provision that ensures the money is redirected to very specific programs around promoting the objectives of the climate change leadership plan.”

The carbon levy is one element of a climate-change strategy to reduce Alberta’s carbon footprint and give it more credibility when it makes pitches to other jurisdictions for greater resource infrastructure such as pipelines.

Watch below: Alberta NDP introduces legislation that will put its carbon tax and rebate system into law. But the plan may cost Albertans more than first advertised.

The government estimates that two-thirds of Albertans — those in middle- and low-income brackets — will receive partial or full rebates.

It says that ensures lower-income Albertans won’t be penalized by the tax, but will have an incentive to go green because they get to keep the rebate money regardless. Opponents have derided that as a thinly veiled wealth transfer.